Few viable options for reducing “penalizing” electrical connection fees
PENTICTON – Penticton's city councillors are concerned with the high fee the city charges to hook up or to disconnect someone's electricity, but according to the city's utility manager, there's not much they can do about it.
The city charges $68 to disconnect the electricity to a home for non-payment and then another $68 to reconnect once it gets payment.
At its meeting on Monday, March 2, council received a report from the electrictal utilities manager Shawn Filice, which responded to questions raised by the councillors during their 2015 budget deliberations.
Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said the fees penalize those who can least afford it. He wondered if it might be an option to lower the disconnect fee for outstanding balances under $100, noting a $68 fee for a $90 bill was excessive.
FIlice reported the city’s fees are in line with those charged by other electric utilities. It's based on one hour of a the utility worker’s wages and vehicle use. He noted maintaining the status quo had been shown to be “just and reasonable with respect to other jurisdictions.”
City council received the report as information with no decision made about the fees.
The City of Penticton averages 8,000 electrical meter interactions per year, according to the report, the majority of which are when people move into a new home or move out. In 2014 there were 1,399 disconnections relating to non-payment.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
2 responses
-
1,399 disconnections PLUS 1,399 re – connections @ $ 68.00 each = $186,464.00’s FOR ONE WORKER & THE USE OF HIS TRUCK…PAID FOR BY THE POOREST CITIZENS OF PENTICTON! SHAME ON YOU!
-
This whole thing started outbecause ofwhat happened to ME (DREW CURRY 550 HUDSON ST IN Penticton)I’ve had three businesses in Penticton over the years and volunteered as A Member of the Kinsmen Club and a plethora of other community organizations. On Dec.5th 2014 , A man from the city came to unhook My power because My payment was a week ov er due.I have NEVER been disconnected before and wasn’t even offered the courtesy or respect of a phone call or an Email in advance to their “henchman’s” arrival. The fellow gave me acard with a phone # on it which I called and made payment arrangements to pay the bill on or before Dec,.19th. Had I not been home they would have shut down MY power THEN hooked it back up to the tune of $136.00 PLUS THE $50.00’S OWINGThe claim the city makes is the expense of an electrician is $68.00’s for an hour’s wage and gas & a truck.THEY SAY THAT, IS , JUST…I believe he could be making at least 4 visits or more an hour and charging the POOREST PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY for just that…BEING POOR.I LIVE WITH A LIFE ALTERING DISABILITY AND I RECEIVE $857.00 PER MONTH FROM MY C.C.P.D.THANKS to the HEAVY HANDED collection methods I ‘vehad to make the BIG DECISION of “HEAT OR EAT” in the last two months because City Hall made Me make payments for their SERVICES [sic] to pay for a DISCONNECTION THEY DIDN”T MAKE! WAS I IN THE WRONG? SHOULD I HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT? DAM RIGHT I DID…I TOOK IT TO MARK BRETT AT THE WESTERN NEWS AND THEY DID A HALF PAGE IN THE JAN 16TH PAPER and now the CITY is still BACK PEDDLING ON HE ISSUE! IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, Last meeting the BALD HEADED Electrical manager was interviewed before Council and he “grinned & smirked” when asked by the Mayor , if anything could be done to help out other’s like Me…and that was ONE GRIN I would have liked to RUB OFF HIS FACE PERSONALLY! The POMPOUS PRICK!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.